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During 2010 and 2011, separate, unrelated, occurrences of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in New Jersey and Wisconsin associated with surgical procedures were investigated to determine sources of HCV and mechanisms of HCV transmission.

This report outlines recommendations for the clinical use of the three smallpox vaccines stored in the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile for persons who are exposed to smallpox virus or at high risk for smallpox infection during a postevent vaccination program following an intentional or accidental release of the virus. These recommendations will be updated as new data on smallpox vaccines become available and as further clinical guidance for other medical countermeasures including antivirals is developed.

Trichinellosis is a parasitic disease that occurs following consumption of raw or undercooked meat infected with Trichinella larvae. During 2008–2012, a total of 90 cases of trichinellosis were reported to CDC. Pork products were associated with 22 cases, including 10 that were linked with commercial pork products, six that were linked with wild boar, and one that was linked with home-raised swine. Meats other than pork were associated with 45 cases, including 41 that were linked with bear meat, two that were linked with deer meat, and two that were linked with ground beef. The continued identification of cases related to both pork and nonpork sources indicates that public education about trichinellosis and the dangers of consuming raw or undercooked meat still is needed.

Health-care providers in the United States are required to report certain infectious diseases to a specified state or local authority. A disease is designated as notifiable if timely information about individual cases is considered necessary for prevention and control of the disease. Each year, CDC publishes a summary of the cases of notifiable disease reported for the most recent year for which data is available. This report presents a summary of notifiable diseases for 2012.

This MMWR Supplement presents data related to disease patterns across the United States and describes recent national trends in health status. Although the United States has made overall progress in improving public health and increasing life expectancy, progress has been slow, and in some aspects of health, change has not occurred or trends are not favorable.